“This Government is committed to putting people at the centre of everything we do. Budget 2018 provides $6.2 million of new operating funding over the next four years, plus $7.7 million of new capital, to build and operate two new accommodation blocks at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre,” says Iain Lees-Galloway.

“The Centre provides an excellent welcome to refugees who come to New Zealand from desperate situations. The investment will improve its capacity and help us meet future commitments.

“The Government is also increasing support for the Refugee and Protection Unit. This will help address cost pressures from an increase in asylum and protection claims, and alleviate housing-supply shortages for incoming quota refugees. New operating funding of $3.8 million over the next four years, plus $335,000 in 2017/18, has been allocated for this work.

“This will ensure that asylum and protection claims can be processed more quickly. It will also provide greater resources to assist refugees to find affordable housing, which has been increasingly challenging.

“Our expanded refugee and humanitarian services will help us meet future commitments to increase the numbers of refugees we welcome to New Zealand,” says Iain Lees-Galloway.